Triple Threat (The Marshal Chronicles)
by blaze1514
Summary: What happens when a conman with a dark past, an old mark, and a mysterious cyborg all end up stuck together with more responsibility than they can handle? Find out in "Triple Threat" the first of The Marshal Chronicles. Any reviews and criticism would be helpful. Since I am new, I can use all the help I can get. Rated "T" for now. WILL change to "M" if need be. -temp cover image-
1. Prologue

**AN:** I would appreciate reviews and criticism. This is my first story so I am sure that its not perfect, point out anything you like or dislike plz.

**AN:** This is literally a Prologue, if you are the type that hates spoilers, or other "prologue-ish" things, you should just skip to the next chapter. You know, because its all going to be written into the story later anyway.

**!**Updated 9/23/14  
><strong>!<strong>Edited 10/14/14

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><p>"Prologue"<p>

I was sitting in the small room that I can only assume was originally a glorified security booth. It had lockers with white jackets labeled "SafeGaurd" in a shield on the shoulder. The lock-box in the corner with two old revolvers also supported this idea. It was hot, or maybe I was just hot. I couldn't tell. I was holding my reinforced 10mm pistol. I think the more common name is the "weathered 10mm pistol". I realized that my palms were sweaty and I wiped them on my black duster. I kept taking inventory of my items, hoping to think of something that could get me out of doing this. I came up blank. I thought about running again, but I knew that I couldn't bring myself to do it. Not with all of the lives that ride on this. Plus I am sure I wouldn't get to far before someone spotted me and realized what I was doing. After a good thirty minutes of suspenseful waiting, I heard a knock outside. Someone finally came to get me.

"Marshal, its time." The voice said from outside the room

I stood up and said to myself, "Well, lets get started."

I gathered my gear and stepped out of the door to see a familiar heavy set man. He was wearing one of those security jackets.

"Darryl, I told you its safer if you don't use those jackets," I said trying to sound firm.

Then his face turned from one of fear mixed with anxiety, to one of bravery and probably fullish pride. He took a breath and spoke, "These jackets are like a symbol of who we are." He said in a shaky voice, "What is the point of winning this if we do not remember what we are fighting for." He continued on, "All of us are in agreement on this."

I looked at him for a minute. I guess I had a stern look because he seemed to draw back some. "Have it your way then," I proclaimed. He smiled and ran off to meet some others ahead of me. _Fools, _I thought to myself as I adjusted my gear.

I took a long look around as people were closing the shutters to their rooms. A small group of guys with white handkerchiefs tied on their arms were moving big heavy items around. I was guessing it was to be used for cover. Seeing these people made me feel uneasy, I was not sure how many would make it.

I headed for the command post where I would go and confirm the start of this hail-marry operation. When I got there, I headed for one person in particular.

"Commander!" I said loudly as I moved to the side of the ghoul in the security jacket.

"Oh, there you are Marshal," he said. He never looked at me though. He was too interested in reviewing the improvised plan wrote on the improvised map sitting on the improvised table.

_This whole operation is a joke,_ I thought to myself.

"Give me an update," I said firmly. I took another look around, "Where is Karin?" I asked.

"Your men are already in position," the ghoul said, "Most of us are too. The scout said that The Garrison do indeed have working Vehicles" He added flatly. "There are at least two that they are using tonight. Sadly the kid didn't realize the importance of identifying what types of cars they were driving"

"Damn... cars" I said. I started to tell him that they were not my men, and I only asked about one of them, but I thought better of it. From out of my bag, I grabbed the pistols that were in the lock-box in the room I was staying in. I gave them to the commander saying, "I remember you said something about your men needing guns. You have to get your own ammo though."

"Thank you," He said. Then for the first time since I walked into the room, he looked at me. His eyes were full of worry. Then he asked, "Do you really think this will work?"

"I really hope so." I said. I grasped my Readius and toggled the start of the task that I added in to keep me tactically synced.

I walked outside to get to where I was supposed to be. I never reached my position before a flair lit up the sky with a beautiful scarlet color. I booked it to the nearest cover. It was a large stone slab in the center of the space between the two storage buildings. It held a tall rusted pole in place.

"There was probably an Old World flag that waved proudly from that once," I muttered under my breath.

The gunfire started soon after I was ducked down. I didn't even know where to shoot, since the sounds were coming from all around me. Finally it got quiet enough to tell were some shots were coming from. I sat there for a moment, relishing in the fact that what I was about to do was so stupid. I finally decided that the gunfire to the left of my position was where I was going focus. I took a deep breath and started to stand up. As soon as I did, a rifle butt hit my forehead and sent me to the ground.

As I lay on the ground I thought, _This is it? Well fuck._ Then everything went black.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own the "Fallout" franchise or any related trademarks. However any original Factions, Characters, and locations do belong to me.


	2. The Fifth Wheel

**!**Updated 9/23/14

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><p>Chapter I: "Fifth Wheel"<p>

A few days earlier,

I was sitting across from the four of them. One had on a vault jumpsuit that had been armored in typical wasteland fashion. The three others were wearing that heavy power armor that the Brotherhood is known for. If two of them didn't have their helmets off I would not have been able to tell them apart. One was a young blonde, the other was an older black woman. I wondered if the other guy was a mercenary too. Then I figured that he may be a technician or something. I mean it makes sense, the Brotherhood like technology and the vault dwellers know some things about it that few do now.

I had not been able to follow their conversation because of the loud noise the rotary blades were making. I am sure if they thought I needed to hear, they would have spoken louder. I was about to speak up but then I herd a voice echo through the cabin.

"Alright we will be landing in "T" minus three minutes!" It said loudly. "So make sure that your seat-belts are on and your tray tables are up!" It continued. "Thank you for choosing Air D.C. The number one in Brotherhood Transportation!" The voice proclaimed. Then there was a sharp static as whatever microphone he was using was toggled off.

"Focus on flying ya ham" The blonde said as she beat her power-armored hand hard onto the side of the cabin.

After a quick yet admittedly bumpy landing, it was finally quiet enough to hear the group across from me. They probably anticipated this and had already shut up by then.

The blonde turned to me and spoke. "My name is Sentinel Loins." She said. "Here is the drill. We have important military matters to attend to." She said flatly. "So you will be going with Paladin Jacobs here." She said as she gestured at the one paladin still in his helmet. Then they started to file out of the vertibird.

"Well if it's a military matter send me with your technician." I said as gestured towards their friend in the vault suit. "Wouldn't it make more sense than sending a fighter to show me were to go?" I asked as I stepped though the vertibird's hatch.

Three of them just looked at me. Jacobs didn't stop scanning the area, but his stance was offset. As if laughing. Finally the one in the vault suit strongly proclaimed, "I'm not a technician." Then the trio headed towards the main structure about thirty yards ahead.

I started after them with the question of "then who is he" in my mind. I was stopped short by the one named Jacobs.

"Come on this way." He said as he pulled me to the left. It seems we were headed for the other side of the compound.

I started looking around as I walked. I saw large fences all around, groups of people in scavenged Enclave power,

"That armor is all too familiar" I thought.

To my direct left at my three were clusters of buildings. "Where are we, some kind of way-station?" I asked.

"We are at Outpost Alpha." Jacobs said from a few steps away. "It is the headquarters of the Midwestern branch of the Brotherhood." He said.

"I thought the Midwestern Brotherhood used a special bunker in Colorado?" I said quizzically.

"That was apparently the rumor yes." he explained. "However it turns out that its just a small outpost used for recruitment and keeping eyes on the east." He declared. "So actually your destination is 'some kind of way-station'." He said in a sarcastic tone.

"Oh good" I said relieved. "I thought for a secon..."

"Don't worry we told you that we could get you close to N.C.R. Territory" He said. "Besides someone important was very interested in getting one of those things you have." He said with a slight emphasis placed on 'important'. "If he hadn't taken an interest, you may not have been given the time of day." He said with a slight joyous sound in his voice.

I fell for it.

"Who is that?" I asked.

"That would be the 'technician' that you thought was so unimportant" Jacobs said trying to hold down a laugh.

"Oh come on, all he had was a hunting rifle and makeshift gear." I said in a dejected manor. "Important people in your organization always wear robes if they are smart or power armor if they can shoot."

"Not if they are too good for it." Jacobs said with a serious undertone.

That statement made me falter in step. Someone too good to need power armor? I cannot even comprehend it. I was trying to figure out what you would have to do to get that kind of reputation. Then I bumped into Jacobs.

"Shit!" I yelled.

"Watch out man" Jacobs said. "Most people here are in power armor." He stated. "That means that if you get into an accident of some kind, you will probably end up with the short end of the stick." He said in a concerned tone.

"Why did you stop?" I asked.

"Why else" He then gestured to the vertibird being loaded with supplies. "This is your ticket to Cheyenne Mountain." He said. "Now get to helping" He proclaimed in light tone.

It took a second to register in my head. "Wait why am I helping?" I asked. "But I do not have power armor! I cannot lift all that heavy stuff!" I said nervously.

"That is the price for the ticket." He said.

"I already paid, I gave you three of those badges." I said.

"That was our price." He said flatly. "These guys thought they needed more payment for moving their supply run up a week."

Knowing that I had no real leverage, I walked over to the group of four Midwestern Brotherhood members that were gathered around the vertibird.

"Hello I am Johnathon" I said introducing myself. "I was told to help you load this bird in exchange for a ride." I said.

"Yes. There you are" One said.

"Don't worry, we already loaded everything over five hundred pounds" Another said in an amused tone.

"Well lets get started" I said, my voice already sounding exhausted just from just looking at the load of slave labor I was about to do.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own the "Fallout" franchise or any related trademarks. However any original Factions, Characters, and locations do belong to me.


	3. When Your Past Catches Up

**AN:** I would like some feedback, this is my first story after all.

**!**Updated 9/23/14

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><p>Chapter II: "When Your Past Catches Up"<p>

I sat exhausted on the the pavement near the vertibird. I was waiting on the crew, who went for lunch or something. I thought the fact that the first sincere hard work I had done since deserting was for the Brotherhood was ironic. The whole point of this trip was to get to the NCR. It was a nation bursting with people, many of witch are probably not as careful as the people here are anymore. I almost got caught twice.

It is said that at one time you could just walk there. It would only take a few months or so from DC. This is not the case now, not since the Legion took over most of the territory between DC and the NCR. Now you have to make a wide trip up north, then back down into NCR land.

"I really hope this is all worth it" I whispered to myself.

Before I was able to let out a sigh, I was hit in the face with something.

"WHAT IN THE HELL!" I called out as I looked up.

"Lunch." said the power armored hooligan as he took a spoonful of cram. "Eat up. We have a long trip." He said.

I looked down to see that what was in my lap wasn't cram, but brahmin steak. "Wha?" I uttered confused.

The Paladin looked at me for a moment. Then realized why I was so confused. "You my friend are a V.I.P." He said with slight sarcasm. "The elders wanted you to have something good for the devices you've given us" He said flatly.

I heard some yelling nearby. The paladin looked over and smirked. "looks like we are all finally here." He said with a restlessly.

I looked over and seen what I assumed were two of the crew lifting the heaviest looking crate. The crate was black and a good eight feet long. The closer they got to me, the more I noticed. It was not actually black, but covered with a black tarp.

"What is that?" I asked puzzled.

"I don't know." said the paladin as he put on his helmet and climbed into the vertibird. He stuck his head out and said, "All I know is that it is something The Institute traded us, and it's heavy. It is the reason we aren't taking two more paladins with us." He said.

I start to climb into the vertibird. "Thing ways more than two power armored paladins?" I asked.

"That thing ways literally almost ways a ton." the paladin said as he got into the pilot seat. "I am not sure we will even lift off." He said jokingly.

"So its only five of us then?" I asked as the pilot got the bird ready. As I climbed I thought about how long it was since I had last been to The Institute.

"Six." He said in a raised volume as the birds blades began to whirl loudly.

"Who else is coming?" I asked loudly.

"Some Institute snob." He said. "He needs something that we might have at Cheyenne."

"Ha. That is rich." I said loudly. "Someone from the Institute needing something." I said with sarcasm.

After the item was loaded on. I tried to get a closer look at it. I am sure someone didn't want the tarp removedsince it was so secure. However, I was sure I heard some kind of sound coming from it. I wasn't able to make it out though, the blades were too loud. It was making me uncomfortable not knowing what I was flying with. Flying is uncomfortable enough as it is. I decided to go and sit down.

I did not think it could get any more uncomfortable. Then I saw the face of the plus one from the Institute as he entered the cabin. He looked at me for a moment and lost his demeanor. Then quickly composed himself and climbed the rest of the way in. This man was Nathan Terrence, a man I had once screwed over. An old mark. He was wearing a brown leather jacket. It was rugged leather that contrasted the leather of my black duster. It seemed to be coming apart, as it had little strips of loose leather hanging hear and there. He had a white shirt on under it. I could see a pack of smokes in the breast pocket of his shirt. His jeans were somewhat faded with a few small holes here and there.

"Can this get worse?" I thought to myself. Then he sat next to me. "Yes it could" I thought.

He leaned towards me. "What in the hell are you doing here!?" he asked in an hushed but urgent tone.

"Getting a ride." I replied.

"You aren't planning on screwing these guys over too are you?" He asked accusingly. "I do not want to die because of you" He said.

"NO!" I said hastily. "I am just trying to get to NCR territory." I added.

I guess that was good enough for him, as he didn't ask anything else. The pilot came over the intercom. "OK, Are we all ready to go?" He asked. There was a minor pause. "No objections. Then we are taking off." He said followed by that static noise.

The flight was long. I couldn't sleep any, not with him next too me. Plus there was that strange object that he has. The air was so claustrophobic, and I had no way of getting out.

The pilot's voice interrupted the suffocating atmosphere, "We are almost to Cheyenne Mountain. E.T.A. less than sixty mikes." He proclaimed before static confirmed the end of his announcement.

I looked my side at Terrence. The one who I had previously had engagements with. He was now getting his supplies ready for the eventual landing. Besides the mystery object, he didn't have much compared to me. Just a small bag. I guess this is because he was going to be staying with the Brotherhood members.

I started to say something too him. I just couldn't think of anything to say. Nothing I say could make up for what I did. The problem was he didn't seem to mind. That is what made me worry. I tried to say something again. I was just going to say anything at that point, anything to brake the ice. I never a chance to get it out.

There was a loud "THUD" and the cabin slung sharply. "Did we crash?" I Yelled as the cabin continued to jar around.

"No we were hit!" the pilot screamed as the cargo hatch flew open.

"What hit us?" one of the paladins asked as the bird began to tip sharply.

"It doesn't matter now!" The pilot said as he picked up his intercom device.

"EVERYONE BRACE YOURSELVES" Screamed the pilot.

I didn't hear the static of the intercom being returned. I started to look over at the pilot, the sudden jar from hitting the ground washed over us.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own the "Fallout" franchise or any related trademarks. However any original Factions, Characters, and locations do belong to me.


	4. Crawling Out of the Dust

**!**Updated 9/23/14

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><p>Chapter III: "Crawling Out of the Dust"<p>

I was still bound in my restraint when I came to. My chest hurt, I felt like I had been elbowed by a super mutant. The vertibird was leaning upwards. I looked to the back of the cabin and saw that the cargo door was open. Light was coming in from outside. It gave me vertigo thinking about how light was coming in through the back. Especially since the angle we seemed to be at suggests that the ground should be there. I looked towards the front and noticed the pilot was still in his seat. It looks like some piece of the engine came through the console and impaled him in the neck. I quickly looked away from the once mischievous man that I had just eaten lunch with.

"His armor was practically useless against that neck injury." I thought.

My senses were starting to stabilize. I started making out noises. First gunshots, then screams, and finally the wail of laser fire. That is when it finally hit me. This wasn't an accident, we were under attack.

I scrambled to get out of my harness. I started scanning the cabin for my bag. I spotted it hanging on a cargo hook right next to the open bay. As I moved to it I heard a shot ring off against the vertibird's outer hull.

"Lucky." I thought. If my bag had not caught on that hook in the crash, it may have flew away when the hatch was knocked open. I reached the open hatch near my bag as more sounds of war could be heard from the outside. I quickly grabbed it and began looking for my shotgun. I noted that the badges looked unharmed for now.

I glanced outside. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the sun's direct light. It seemed that most of the cargo had indeed been tossed out by the crash. Although I couldn't see the large mystery object anywhere. I also realized that we crashed on a hill at an upward angle.

"Good." I thought. "Better than me leaning off of a cliff edge." I said to myself as more shots rang out.

After grabbing my lever action shotgun from my bag, I took a hard long look out. There were metal crates and boxes everywhere, We seemed to be in a cluster of rolling hills. To the right there was an incline. The left lead down the hill. Directly In front of me was another hill connected to the one I was currently on by the incline to the left. I heard laser fire directly to my left in the direction of the incline. That meant I was taking a hard right when I exit.

I slung my bag over my left shoulder and quickly moved out of the cabin. I made a quick rotating motion and ended up on the outside resting against the outer starboard wall of the vertibird. I noticed a dirt path in the valley at the bottom of this hill. I was about to dismiss it as too open to be safe, but then I noticed what was next to the path.

"That big... container" I said. Not really knowing what to call it. It was halfway down the hill. It was sitting awkwardly about halfway off of a protrusion in the hill.

It was down there. If I could make it to the the thing and open it, I might just be saved by whatever tech the Institute has inside. That is if I can figure out how it works.

"No." I said to myself. Shaking the doubts away. If anything I could just use the tarp to hide under.

"Getting to that is better than being here right now." I thought as more lasers and gunshots rang out.

"Damn." I uttered as I started down the hill.

I ducked down first to make myself a smaller target. Then I sped up my pace. I kept hearing yells and shots, but I didn't slow down. I hit my shoe on a large rock and almost tripped. "Close." I thought. I glanced back towards the the shooting but didn't get a good look. When I returned my focus back to my front I realized the large item was coming up fast. I tried to slow down too hard and lost my footing. I plunged head first towards the huge object. I quickly braced my head in my arms.

"SLAM" I hit the object with plenty of momentum. My head rang like a beer bottle had been smashed over it. My arms felt like I strong-armed a brick wall. I started to get up and composed myself. I grabbed my shotgun that was laying on the ground. I must have dropped it during the fall.

I looked at the object. "Oh Hell." I said as it started to fall of the edge of the incline. I ran after it as it disappeared over over the edge. The drop was not as bad as I thought it would be. Not that I thought it would be horrible, seeing as there is a path not too far down. That fact did not stop it from tumbling down and crashing against a rock with a loud shatter.

I quickly climbed down to see the damage to the container. Careful not repeat of my last fall. As I got closer I realized that the last impact did do something. There was some sort of liquid running out of the container, along with thick glass laying broken around it. The tarp was still blocking my view, but the straps were mangled and destroyed. I reached in to move the tarp aside.

"What in the hell do you think your doing." Nathan's voice called out. I looked around and seen him holding a laser pistol in my direction. It looked like an A.E.P.7 model with the awkward oversized trigger-guard removed. He was standing up where the container was.

"I was hoping that whatever you had here could save our asses." I said. I did not see any point in lying in this situation.

He lowered his gun and let out a sigh. "So you truly don't know what was in there?" He asked.

"No" I said.

"Well hurry up and get on with it." He said pointing to the container. "We have to get our asses out of here." He proclaimed.

I took that as permission and turned back to the container. I started to moved the tarp slowly.

"MOVE MAN" Yelled Nathan. "Its not going to bite you. But whoever those paladins are fighting will if you don't move your ass" He said in a worried tone.

I took the hint. I swiftly moved the tarp off of the container. I froze when I saw what was in it. Inside of the container was a girl. She was hooked up to the container by tubes and wires. She looked on the smaller side and had an unnatural white hair color.

"What in the?" I said.

It didn't take my long to realize what this probably was. I was looking at an android. Probably worth a hell of a lot too.

"The irony" I thought to myself, as the fact that Nathan had an Android was priceless.

I removed the tubes and wires and quickly began trying to activate it. I pressed a few areas on the head that are usually emergency buttons, and tried activating it by voice.

"Nothing?" I said quizzically just as Nathan appeared at my side.

I looked at him and asked, "What is wrong with the robot?"

"Its not a robot." he said.

"When did you turn soft?" I asked.

"I didn't." He said. "That is not just a normal robot." He added.

"Well then turn it on." I said.

"I can't" He said. "That is what this whole trip is for." He explained. "Just rig the tarp to carry it with." He offered.

"Too much time" I said. I started just to pick the machine up. I realized that it was naked. I quickly took off my duster and warped it around the android. I knocked not realizing it sooner up to being shot at. After it was covered I tried again to pick it up. Thankfully it wasn't as heavy as I thought it would be. However, it was soaking wet. Whatever the liquid that leaked out of the container before was, it seems to have been submerging it. It was also strangely warm for an android that hadn't been activated. I guessed that the liquid must had been warm.

I turned to Nathan and said, "Lets go." I looked up the hill and said, "Get those paladins."

"Screw them." he said. "I wasn't planning on giving the thing to them anyway." He said as he started walking towards the dirt path.

"Okay" I said heading after him. "Where did you learn that trick?" I asked.

"Where you think." He replied.

I wanted to chuckle at the sheer irony. but gunshots and lasers ruined the moment.

"Take my Readius and see where we are." I told him. "We still have to get to the Brotherhood outpost here right?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said as he took the Readius "There is something they have that may wake it up." he said looking at the way I covered it with my jacket. "When did you start going soft?" he questioned in a sarcastic tone.

"She was making me uncomfortable." I said.

"So you admit it" he said with playful undertone.

"I mean it" I corrected.

He smirked as he checked the Readius. "We need to go a little farther northwest" he explained as he pointed to what I can only assume is the direction mentioned.

"What about them." I asked motioning my head to the hill where the paladins are fighting.

He looked to their direction. "Hopefully they will be killed here." he said coldly. "If not they will cause trouble latter." He said.

"So for now just put as much room in between us as possible? I asked.

"Yeah. Lets go" He said as he began to walk.

I followed fast. With my bag on my left shoulder an android slung over my shoulder right and a shotgun in my hand.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own the "Fallout" franchise or any related trademarks. However any original Factions, Characters, and locations do belong to me.


	5. Ambush

Chapter IV: Ambush

After walking along the path in the woods for about thirty or so minutes in silence we came across a clearing. In that clearing was an old paved road that formed a "T" with the path we were on. Nestled at the "T" were a small cluster of buildings. The closest building seemed to be a large maintenance shed of some kind, complete with a garage door. On the other side of the "T" strait up the path from us was a fueling station. Beside the fueling station was a one or two room office of some sort. The office had a collapsed awning attached to it. Some sort of vehicle was resting useless under the pile of metal, stone, and plaster.

"Hold up" I said while slowing my pace significantly.

Nathan quickly did the same. "What?" He asked.

"You want to avoid trouble with the Brotherhood right?" I asked.

"If we can help it, yeah." He explained.

"See those buildings?" I ask while pointing. "We can set up for the night here and watch for any surviving members of that crew." I said explaining my idea. "Even if none of them survived, I bet that whoever attacked them knows where they were headed. That means that someone could be coming this way to make sure no one ran." I said. "You should take cover over near that shed." I exclaimed. "I will take this thing into the gas station and cover you." I explained while slapping the android slung over my shoulder on the ass.

"Two things." He started. "First, do you have no shame? And second, We aren't exactly packing the type of arsenal needed to fight people in power armor. Wounded or not!" He exclaimed.

"If I had no shame I wouldn't have covered it with my..." I stopped short when I bothered to pay enough attention to the android to notice that the duster was not covering it anymore. "Oh No!" I said worried, it must have slipped off during the walk. "I liked that duster."

"John Chill." Nathan said in an almost amused voice. "I grabbed it earlier when it fell." He said. "I was just waiting until you said something." He explained as he pulled my rolled up duster out of a small dark brown belted bag hanging on his shoulder. "So what was the other thing?" He asked with a smirk on his face.

Embarrassed (and slightly pissed) I took the duster from his hands and continued talking. "I have these" I said pulling out three pulse grenades. "They will cause the Power armor to electrocute its wearer." I said. "You can also use them against most bots." I added.

"I know what they are." He said flatly.

"Good then I do not need to tell you how to use them." I said handing him the grenades. After getting my Readius back from Nathan I proceeded to walk towards the gas station.

As I got closer to the gas station and the adjacent building, I noticed a few things. First I noticed that the building was some kind of park ranger station. The vehicle trapped under the rubble was a pickup. I deduced that it was a ranger pickup based on where it was. I couldn't test that theory though, as the sides were all covered in rubble from the collapsed awning. The gas station seemed to look like it was managed by the park too. It was not as "consumer friendly" as corporate ran gas stations. The windows on both buildings were covered in dust and dirt. It would make visibility lower than I was anticipating.

After I opened the door to the cashiers shack, I checked the building with my shotgun ready. I laid the again naked android face down when I was sure it was safe. It was time for me to figure out what Nathan was hiding. I took my Readius and started scanning areas that would likely hold a hidden Institute electronic serial number. Nothing ever uploaded to the Readius. I then started feeling areas that could contain hidden braille numbers or codes. Nothing behind the ears, back of the neck, or the bridges of the feet. And there were defiantly no tattoos that could be seen. Although I didn't have an Ultra-Violet light to be sure no hidden ones were present.

"Nothing" I said to myself with surprise and disbelief. "Not one thing that indicates its status as an android... I knew it!" I exclaimed with suspicion. This android isn't normal. Not only because of its mystery, but it was _still _warm. An android that is off shouldn't be generating heat. At first I thought it was because the liquid in its container was warm, but its been too long for that to still be effecting it. Plus the liquid itself is suspicions In my years of experience with both the Enclave and the Institute, I have never heard of using a liquid like that to transport anything. "Nathan is hiding something, something big." I said to myself with new found determination.

After getting that out of my system I began to take in my surroundings. This room was barely larger than a holding cell I was standing next to the "android" behind the counter. Pushed against the wall to my right was a small fridge on top of a cabinet. In front of me was the small counter that was used by the cashier. On my direct left was a floor safe. To the left right above the counter was a small dust-stained window. The door was in front of the counter to the left. Finally, behind be was an old stool to set on.

I wiped off a small area on a window. I still couldn't see much, but it was better than solid dust and dirt. I then began to search the area for supplies. I found a medical kit with a Stimpack, Med-X, and bandages. A small refrigerator with three bottles of water and some other stuff I didn't bother with. Finally I found a can of cram and some chips in a cabinet that the fridge was setting on.

I pocketed two of the waters, the cram, and the Stimpack and Med-X. I left the chips, bandages and a water for Nathan. I got my "Reinforced 10mm pistol" out and began to quickly preform basic maintenance and ammo checks. When I was done I reminded myself to leave the safety off. I didn't want to die because I was too good at checking my weapons. I began to let my mind wander about what exactly it was I had lying next to me on the floor.

I wasn't able to think of anything fun before I heard a loud "POP" followed by buzzing and screams. I stood up from the stool that I was setting in, and rushed to the door. I cracked it open to see if I could get a good look. I immediately saw two of the Midwestern Brotherhood members. I could recognize their re-purposed Enclave armor anywhere. One was on the ground groaning, the other was booking it towards the treeline. However I noticed three others with them. None thankfully had power armor. One had a white shirt and military pants, another had a red and white shirt with a black vest. They were running to the trees with the paladin. The third guy was dawned in leather armor. He didn't take off with the others. He tried to help the paladin that got the brunt of the pulse grenade. I quickly decided where I wanted to shoot him. I grabbed my Readius and activated its "Vats". The tactical assistant told me to walk 3 feet to the left and crouch for a better chance at hitting. I put the Readius away and quickly began to follow its advice. Once I was in position I shot the guy 4 times in the legs. He went down fast, landed right on top of the paladin.

"Nice" I said to myself.

Just then I got shot at. As I dove back into the gas stations building, I heard more shots land near me. Firs a projectile, then a laser, then a few more projectile shots. I moved to the windy to see if I could get a look. By the time I looked out, I could already see Nathan ,who was being ignored, get a good shot off on one. He vaporized the guy in the white shirt. The one in the black vest seemed to freak out and tried to run deeper into the trees. Nathan shot five times. Tree shots hit square on his back, and the guy fell lifeless. The remaining paladin was not as easily intimidated. His shots turned back to Nathan. He started charging with thundering defiance. This sudden pressure caused Nathan to fall back. I moved out of the shack, careful not to get to far from the entrance. Then I took aim with my pistol and fired six rounds at his direction. This caused him to turn at me. When he started firing I ducked down. I fired twice more and the shots pinged off of his armor. Remembering the pilot's wound I took aim at the gap between his helmet and his chest-piece. I pulled the trigger and "click"

"FUCK" I yelled. "I need to reload." screamed. "Nathan toss one now" I yelled as loud as possible.

He was still coming. I ducked back into the building. Then I heard the "POP" and static that would save me. I peeked out the door to see the paladin on the ground cringing in pain. I grabbed my shotgun and walked up to him. He started to wimpier when I put my barrel to to his neck. I closed my eyes and pulled the trigger.

* * *

><p><strong><strong>AN:<strong>** I really wanted to show exactly how morally gray these guys are. I hope it came across well.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the "Fallout" franchise or any related trademarks. However any original Factions, Characters, and locations do belong to me.


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